[The Typing Baker] What Should I Eat Today?... A Food Story Through the Eating Habits of Philosophers

[Asia Economy Reporter Byunghee Park] Are you a Kant type or a Nietzsche type when you eat?

German philosopher Immanuel Kant (1724?1804) believed that to truly enjoy food, one must have company to eat with. In contrast, Friedrich Nietzsche (1844?1900) had little interest in chatting and always insisted on eating alone.

Martin Cohen, the British philosopher and author of Almost Everything About Food, explores food through the thoughts of various philosophers. Surprisingly, many philosophers have spoken about eating.

Ancient Greek philosopher Plato (428?348 BC) viewed a diet based mainly on fruits and nuts positively. He reasoned that if everyone tried to eat meat at every meal, food would become scarce, leading to resource wars and ultimately environmental destruction.

British philosopher John Locke (1632?1704) wrote in his 1692 essay Some Thoughts Concerning Education that a slice of brown bread, whether accompanied by butter or cheese or eaten plain, was the best breakfast. He criticized the English for suffering from illnesses mainly because they ate too much meat and too little bread.

French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712?1778) was an advocate of milk. He praised milk as a nutritious food that calms the mind and brings people closer to nature. In his educational treatise Emile, Rousseau also praised breast milk and motherhood, arguing that breastfeeding forms a bond between mother and child, contributing to the harmony of the entire family.

Nietzsche enjoyed eating meat. In contrast, American philosopher Henry David Thoreau (1817?1862) was a vegetarian. Thoreau lived for two years in a small cabin by a lake, eating fruits gathered from the forest and grains he cultivated himself. In his book Walden, he wrote that a rational person in peaceful times would want nothing more for a simple lunch than a sufficient amount of boiled corn dipped in salt.

Why does Cohen discuss food through philosophers? Philosophers have pondered how to live well. Life is directly connected to the issue of eating. Therefore, philosophers have deeply reflected on food as well.

Cohen captivates readers with his extensive knowledge about food. Regarding chocolate, he devotes over 50 pages to fascinating stories. Early chocolate manufacturers were all companies founded by Quakers; chocolate contains phenylethylamine, a substance similar to amphetamines that induces euphoric feelings, which explains why past chocolate advertisements were quite provocative; dark chocolate contains a compound called 'anandamide,' a relative of cannabis, and consuming just 11 kg could cause hallucinations?these facts are endlessly intriguing.

In the epilogue, Cohen sharply criticizes McDonald's, the epitome of fast food, with very detailed arguments. For example, he points out that although McDonald's French fries contain no sugar, dextrose?a type of glucose?is sprinkled on them to maintain their golden color, which is problematic. He also exposes issues such as hydrogenation processes with expert knowledge. Cohen notes that while McDonald's is the highest quality among fast food chains, just looking at the main ingredients in their hamburgers can make one feel nauseous.

Cohen presents claims that contradict common sense with his vast knowledge. He recommends eating fats to lose weight and argues that chocolate can actually help reduce weight. He opposes calls to reduce salt intake, stating that recent findings show that when salt consumption decreases, the body stores more salt. To store more salt, the kidneys secrete enzymes and hormones that regulate salt levels, which can lead to significant changes in the body.

Cohen emphasizes that although there is an abundance of information about diet today, not all advice works equally for everyone. In conclusion, he advises readers to gather diverse information about food and find a diet that suits themselves.

(Almost Everything About Food by Martin Cohen, translated by An Jin-yi, Bookie)

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.